As everyone should know by now, South Africa play England in the rugby world cup final tomorrow night.
These situations fill South Africans with a feeling of tremendous pride. The ability for sport to unite South Africans isn’t as strong as in 1995 when Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok jersey, presented Francois Pienaar with the winning world cup trophy, but it is still there. It is evidenced on our streets today as thousands of black and white South Africans wear their green and gold shirts.
It really is beautiful to hear so many black South Africans calling into radio talk shows to express their support for the South African rugby team, a team that for many years was almost a symbol of our apartheid past.
In contrast to this sense of triumph, last night a South African legend was murdered. Lucky Dube was shot dead in front of his two young kids during a botched hijacking.
Lucky Dube was the first black South African musician to sing about apartheid on white radio stations on South Africa. I stand to be corrected, but I think his unique brand of African reggae turned him into the best ever selling South African artist in international markets. He was a true reggae legend.
And so, battling through traffic this morning I experienced the mixed emotions so typical of South Africa. Joy and pride on the one hand, misery, depression and worst of all, fear, on the other. It really can bring one to tears and I don't think many other countries experience quite what South Africans experience on a daily basis. The hope and the fear; the light and the darkness.
To adapt from Lord Byron…
“And all that’s worst of dark and best of bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes”
Update - South Africa 15 - 6 England
|
Well done on your victory tonight.
Posted by: WalterBoswell | October 21, 2007 at 00:49
It is ironic that Lucky Dube sounded exactly like Peter Tosh, who died in a hail of bullets by unknown assailants 20 years ago.
By the way the IFP says it all with their press release
http://www.ifp.org.za/Releases/191007pr.htm
Inkatha Freedom Party Statement By:
MR VELAPHI NDLOVU MP
IFP SAFETY AND SECURITY SPOKESPERSON
19 October 2007
It is with extreme sadness that the Inkatha Freedom Party has learned of the murder of internationally renowned reggae artist and one of South Africa's best loved musicians, Lucky Dube.
We pass our condolences to Lucky's family and fans and we will pray for them during this difficult time.
Today, South Africa will be making headlines across the world again for all the wrong reasons. The murder of Lucky Dube once again highlights the fact that we are a nation at war. The murder of one of South Africa's most talented musicians proves that, as a nation, we might be free from the oppression of apartheid, but we live in fear of the criminals who now rule this country. These callous criminals have taken away the hard fought freedom so many people died for in South Africa.
The Inkatha Freedom Party calls on government to stop disregarding the pleas of ordinary South Africans. The Minister of Safety and Security and the President are in denial about crime and are refusing to admit to the size and severity of the crime problem. Government apathy is what leads to 50 murders daily in this country.
As the IFP, we can not be silent anymore. We call on government to tell us what plans they have got in place to stop this bloodbath? Or is the truth, that they just don't care and they don't know what to do?
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mr Velaphi Ndlovu MP: 083 625 0803
Liezl van der Merwe: 083 611 7470
Posted by: Gary | October 21, 2007 at 11:12
Springboks deserved it but don't forget that they didnt beat the Kiwis. See you in the tri-nations next year!
Posted by: George Sklar | October 21, 2007 at 12:33
Mazel Tov on the victory. We even watched it at Haaretz. Which is especially unusual, considering most of us don't know the rules.
Great post on the Dube - Boks linkage.
Posted by: Cnaan | October 23, 2007 at 14:42